Tuesday, January 7
Muncie, Ind.
7 PM
Ball State University
vs
Miami (OH)
Photo by: Heather Parker
Men's Basketball Hosting Miami (OH) Tuesday Night in MAC Home Opener
January 06, 2025 | Men's Basketball
The Ball State men's basketball team rides a four-game winning streak into a matchup with Miami (OH) at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in Worthen Arena.
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Mick Tidrow and David Eha on the call, while Mark Foerster and Scot Bunnell handle the radio broadcast on WMUN 1340AM – 92.5FM.
Miami leads the head-to-head series 68-43, but Ball State holds a 27-26 edge in games played in Muncie. The RedHawks won 87-80 in overtime last Jan. 20 in their last trip to Worthen.
The Cardinals (7-6, 1-0 Mid-American Conference) limited Kent State to 1-for-11 shooting in the final four minutes, and 35.8 percent overall from the field, in a 75-67 win to begin MAC play on Saturday afternoon. Jermahri Hill put up 18 points, six assists and five rebounds, while Mickey Pearson Jr. contributed 14 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks to lead the visitors to victory.
Miami (9-4, 1-0 MAC) also took its conference opener on Saturday with a 93-79 decision over Buffalo in Oxford. The RedHawks are in their third season under the direction of head coach Travis Steele and were picked to finish sixth in the MAC preseason poll.
The RedHawks lead the league in 3-pointers made per game (11.7, No. 5 in NCAA Division I), turnovers forced per game (16.5, No. 13), turnover margin (+5.0, No. 16), steals per game (9.5), scoring offense (83.2 points per game), scoring margin (+11.5), field goal percentage (49.2) and effective field goal percentage (58.4).
Redshirt sophomore Kam Craft gets his shots up, pacing the MAC in 3-pointers per game (3.4, No. 18 nationally), total 3-pointers (44), 3-point attempts (100) and field goal attempts (173). Sophomore guard Mekhi Cooper runs the offense to the tune of a conference-best 2.94 assist-to-turnover ratio.
The Cardinals stay home to host Bowling Green at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
LOCK IT DOWN: The Ball State defense leads the Mid-American Conference in field goal percentage defense (40.3) and ranks second in 3-point defense (30.8 percent) and third in scoring defense (70.2 points per game).
Ball State limited Kent State to 1-for-11 shooting from the field in the final four minutes of Saturday's game to secure the road win. The Cardinals have allowed opponents an average of 62 points in their last three games as part of a four-game winning streak.
HERNANDEZ HEATING UP: Graduate guard Jeremiah Hernandez has scored in double figures each of the last four games to increase his scoring average to 7.5 points per game on the season.
Hernandez tallied 13 on Saturday to lead Ball State to a win against his former school.
1,000 FOR SPARKS: Senior center Payton Sparks scored his 1,000th career point late in the second half of the New Year's Eve win against Anderson on his way to a 23-point, 16-rebound double-double.
The 16 boards matched his career-best, while the 23 points were one shy of tying his career-high, as the big man recorded his first double-double of the year.
ONE-TWO PUNCH: Sparks and junior guard Jermahri Hill combined for 72 points, 41 rebounds and nine assists in last week's wins against Anderson and Kent State.
Hill led the Cardinals in scoring both games while Sparks was the leading rebounder in both contests for Ball State.
DOMINANT DEFENSE: Ball State limited Evansville to 43 points and 29.1 percent shooting from the field on Dec. 21. Those were the lowest tallies the Cardinals had allowed an NCAA Division I opponent to get since March 11, 2019 against Eastern Michigan.
The Cardinals limited the Purple Aces to their fewest points in the 58-game series history since 1935, and the 37-point margin of victory was the second-highest for Ball State ever vs Evansville.
MICKEY MONEY FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE: Mickey Pearson Jr. went 12-for-12 at the free throw line in Ball State's win at Bellarmine on Dec. 14 including sinking two foul shots with six seconds to play to secure the 86-82 decision.
Pearson's 12 free throws made were the most by a Ball State player since Taylor Persons also sunk a dozen on Nov. 18, 2018 vs App State. Pearson is the only Cardinal with multiple career games making at least 10 free throws without a miss in the last 10 seasons (10-for-10 vs Central Michigan on Jan. 6, 2024).
GORO-THREE-TO: Junior guard Juanse Gorosito was named the Mid-American Conference Player of the Week after hitting seven 3-pointers for 21 and adding four assists and three steals on Dec. 14 at Bellarmine.
Gorosito is second in the conference in 3-pointers made (39) and leads the league while ranking No. 13 in NCAA Division I in shooting percentage (45.9) from distance.
MILESTONE WATCH: After Sparks (1,011 points) reached the milestone last Tuesday afternoon, Hernandez (924) and Pearson Jr. (859) are each closing in on scoring 1,000 points in his Division I career.
Ethan Brittain-Watts recently made his 100th career 3-pointer, while Sparks (610 rebounds) is currently No. 17 in Ball State program history for a career.
GETTING TO THE LINE: The Cardinals pace the Mid-American Conference in both free throw attempts per game (27.5) and free throws made per game (19.2) through the season's first 13 games.
Ball State ranks No. 5 and No. 8 in those categories in NCAA Division I, respectively. The total tallies (358 attempts and 249 makes) outpace the next-closest MAC team (Buffalo) by 89 attempts and 63 makes.
TOP OF THE HILL: Hill was named the Mid-American Conference Co-Player of the Week on Dec. 2 after averaging 21.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in three games at the Gulf Coast Showcase.
Hill had assists on three-point plays to Mickey Pearson Jr. and Payton Sparks in the final minute of the 63-61 win over Eastern Kentucky in the opener on Nov. 25. The guard ranks second in the MAC with 16.6 points per game on the year.
I REMEMBER YOU: Ball State played seven different players this nonconference season who were on MAC rosters during the 2023-24 season. SIUE's Darrion Baker (from Akron) was the seventh. The full list is below.
Darrion Baker (Akron to SIUE)
Legend Geeter (Eastern Michigan to Detroit Mercy)
Markus Harding (Central Michigan to Indiana State)
Orlando Lovejoy (Eastern Michigan to Detroit Mercy)
Cyril Martynov (Eastern Michigan to Eastern Kentucky)
Zarique Nutter (Northern Illinois to Georgia State)
B. Artis White (Western Michigan to Richmond)
HOME STATE HEROES: Brittain-Watts (2019), Zane Doughty, Joey Hart and Mason Jones (2023) were each named Indiana High School All-Stars, while three more Cardinals also had ties to the state before arriving in Muncie.
Ball State has the second-most players from Indiana high schools among Indiana-based Division I teams behind Purdue.
WORLD FLYERS: The 2024-25 Ball State roster consists of student-athletes from three different countries in addition to the United States of America.
Gorosito (Argentina), Ben Hendriks (Canada) and Jurica Zagorsak (Croatia) are international Cardinals this season. Interestingly, Juanse, Ben and Jurica were born on different continents, so Ball State has student-athletes from North America, South America and Europe on the team.
TRANSFERS FROM ALL OVER: Each of Ball State's seven student-athletes who have transferred into the program have come from different college basketball conferences.
The list includes Brittain-Watts (Patriot League, Boston), Gorosito (West Coast Conference, Portland), Hart (SEC, Kentucky), Hernandez (Ohio Valley Conference, USI), Pearson Jr. (Big 12, TCU), Sparks (Big Ten, Indiana) and Hill who played junior college ball at South Plains in Levelland, Texas.
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The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Mick Tidrow and David Eha on the call, while Mark Foerster and Scot Bunnell handle the radio broadcast on WMUN 1340AM – 92.5FM.
Miami leads the head-to-head series 68-43, but Ball State holds a 27-26 edge in games played in Muncie. The RedHawks won 87-80 in overtime last Jan. 20 in their last trip to Worthen.
The Cardinals (7-6, 1-0 Mid-American Conference) limited Kent State to 1-for-11 shooting in the final four minutes, and 35.8 percent overall from the field, in a 75-67 win to begin MAC play on Saturday afternoon. Jermahri Hill put up 18 points, six assists and five rebounds, while Mickey Pearson Jr. contributed 14 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks to lead the visitors to victory.
Miami (9-4, 1-0 MAC) also took its conference opener on Saturday with a 93-79 decision over Buffalo in Oxford. The RedHawks are in their third season under the direction of head coach Travis Steele and were picked to finish sixth in the MAC preseason poll.
The RedHawks lead the league in 3-pointers made per game (11.7, No. 5 in NCAA Division I), turnovers forced per game (16.5, No. 13), turnover margin (+5.0, No. 16), steals per game (9.5), scoring offense (83.2 points per game), scoring margin (+11.5), field goal percentage (49.2) and effective field goal percentage (58.4).
Redshirt sophomore Kam Craft gets his shots up, pacing the MAC in 3-pointers per game (3.4, No. 18 nationally), total 3-pointers (44), 3-point attempts (100) and field goal attempts (173). Sophomore guard Mekhi Cooper runs the offense to the tune of a conference-best 2.94 assist-to-turnover ratio.
The Cardinals stay home to host Bowling Green at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
LOCK IT DOWN: The Ball State defense leads the Mid-American Conference in field goal percentage defense (40.3) and ranks second in 3-point defense (30.8 percent) and third in scoring defense (70.2 points per game).
Ball State limited Kent State to 1-for-11 shooting from the field in the final four minutes of Saturday's game to secure the road win. The Cardinals have allowed opponents an average of 62 points in their last three games as part of a four-game winning streak.
HERNANDEZ HEATING UP: Graduate guard Jeremiah Hernandez has scored in double figures each of the last four games to increase his scoring average to 7.5 points per game on the season.
Hernandez tallied 13 on Saturday to lead Ball State to a win against his former school.
1,000 FOR SPARKS: Senior center Payton Sparks scored his 1,000th career point late in the second half of the New Year's Eve win against Anderson on his way to a 23-point, 16-rebound double-double.
The 16 boards matched his career-best, while the 23 points were one shy of tying his career-high, as the big man recorded his first double-double of the year.
ONE-TWO PUNCH: Sparks and junior guard Jermahri Hill combined for 72 points, 41 rebounds and nine assists in last week's wins against Anderson and Kent State.
Hill led the Cardinals in scoring both games while Sparks was the leading rebounder in both contests for Ball State.
DOMINANT DEFENSE: Ball State limited Evansville to 43 points and 29.1 percent shooting from the field on Dec. 21. Those were the lowest tallies the Cardinals had allowed an NCAA Division I opponent to get since March 11, 2019 against Eastern Michigan.
The Cardinals limited the Purple Aces to their fewest points in the 58-game series history since 1935, and the 37-point margin of victory was the second-highest for Ball State ever vs Evansville.
MICKEY MONEY FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE: Mickey Pearson Jr. went 12-for-12 at the free throw line in Ball State's win at Bellarmine on Dec. 14 including sinking two foul shots with six seconds to play to secure the 86-82 decision.
Pearson's 12 free throws made were the most by a Ball State player since Taylor Persons also sunk a dozen on Nov. 18, 2018 vs App State. Pearson is the only Cardinal with multiple career games making at least 10 free throws without a miss in the last 10 seasons (10-for-10 vs Central Michigan on Jan. 6, 2024).
GORO-THREE-TO: Junior guard Juanse Gorosito was named the Mid-American Conference Player of the Week after hitting seven 3-pointers for 21 and adding four assists and three steals on Dec. 14 at Bellarmine.
Gorosito is second in the conference in 3-pointers made (39) and leads the league while ranking No. 13 in NCAA Division I in shooting percentage (45.9) from distance.
MILESTONE WATCH: After Sparks (1,011 points) reached the milestone last Tuesday afternoon, Hernandez (924) and Pearson Jr. (859) are each closing in on scoring 1,000 points in his Division I career.
Ethan Brittain-Watts recently made his 100th career 3-pointer, while Sparks (610 rebounds) is currently No. 17 in Ball State program history for a career.
GETTING TO THE LINE: The Cardinals pace the Mid-American Conference in both free throw attempts per game (27.5) and free throws made per game (19.2) through the season's first 13 games.
Ball State ranks No. 5 and No. 8 in those categories in NCAA Division I, respectively. The total tallies (358 attempts and 249 makes) outpace the next-closest MAC team (Buffalo) by 89 attempts and 63 makes.
TOP OF THE HILL: Hill was named the Mid-American Conference Co-Player of the Week on Dec. 2 after averaging 21.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in three games at the Gulf Coast Showcase.
Hill had assists on three-point plays to Mickey Pearson Jr. and Payton Sparks in the final minute of the 63-61 win over Eastern Kentucky in the opener on Nov. 25. The guard ranks second in the MAC with 16.6 points per game on the year.
I REMEMBER YOU: Ball State played seven different players this nonconference season who were on MAC rosters during the 2023-24 season. SIUE's Darrion Baker (from Akron) was the seventh. The full list is below.
Darrion Baker (Akron to SIUE)
Legend Geeter (Eastern Michigan to Detroit Mercy)
Markus Harding (Central Michigan to Indiana State)
Orlando Lovejoy (Eastern Michigan to Detroit Mercy)
Cyril Martynov (Eastern Michigan to Eastern Kentucky)
Zarique Nutter (Northern Illinois to Georgia State)
B. Artis White (Western Michigan to Richmond)
HOME STATE HEROES: Brittain-Watts (2019), Zane Doughty, Joey Hart and Mason Jones (2023) were each named Indiana High School All-Stars, while three more Cardinals also had ties to the state before arriving in Muncie.
Ball State has the second-most players from Indiana high schools among Indiana-based Division I teams behind Purdue.
WORLD FLYERS: The 2024-25 Ball State roster consists of student-athletes from three different countries in addition to the United States of America.
Gorosito (Argentina), Ben Hendriks (Canada) and Jurica Zagorsak (Croatia) are international Cardinals this season. Interestingly, Juanse, Ben and Jurica were born on different continents, so Ball State has student-athletes from North America, South America and Europe on the team.
TRANSFERS FROM ALL OVER: Each of Ball State's seven student-athletes who have transferred into the program have come from different college basketball conferences.
The list includes Brittain-Watts (Patriot League, Boston), Gorosito (West Coast Conference, Portland), Hart (SEC, Kentucky), Hernandez (Ohio Valley Conference, USI), Pearson Jr. (Big 12, TCU), Sparks (Big Ten, Indiana) and Hill who played junior college ball at South Plains in Levelland, Texas.
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